Cardiovascular drugs: captopril adverse effects: practice question

A Pharmacology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Pharmacology · Cardiovascular drugs: captopril adverse effects

Sample item

A patient on high-dose captopril complains of loss of taste and develops a maculopapular rash. Which structural feature of the drug is held responsible?

AThe prodrug esterBThe carboxyl groupCThe sulfhydryl groupDThe phosphinate group

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. The sulfhydryl group

Captopril is the only common ACE inhibitor with a sulfhydryl group. This group is associated with taste disturbance, rash and rarely neutropenia, and is not present in enalapril or lisinopril.

Option by option

A. The prodrug ester
A prodrug ester is a feature of enalapril and not of captopril.
B. The carboxyl group
Carboxyl-containing ACE inhibitors such as enalaprilat do not cause these effects.
C. The sulfhydryl group (correct)
Correct. The thiol group is linked to taste loss and rash.
D. The phosphinate group
A phosphinate group is a feature of fosinopril and does not cause taste loss.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Pharmacology question

What is the answer to this Pharmacology question?

The best answer is C, The sulfhydryl group. Captopril is the only common ACE inhibitor with a sulfhydryl group.

Why is "The prodrug ester" not the answer?

A prodrug ester is a feature of enalapril and not of captopril.

Why is "The carboxyl group" not the answer?

Carboxyl-containing ACE inhibitors such as enalaprilat do not cause these effects.

Why is "The phosphinate group" not the answer?

A phosphinate group is a feature of fosinopril and does not cause taste loss.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Cardiovascular drugs: captopril adverse effects in Pharmacology. This group is associated with taste disturbance, rash and rarely neutropenia, and is not present in enalapril or lisinopril.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Cardiovascular drugs: captopril adverse effects?

Learn drugs as classes, then the exception in each class that an examiner would pick. Then use the flashcards and the other Pharmacology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.